End-gate for wagons



(No Model.) '2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. HOTZ. END GATE FOR WAGONS.

Patented Feb. 6 ,1894.

Ill i AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA NY.

(-No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O HOTZ END GATE. FOR WAGONS.

No. 514,076. Patented Feb. 6, 1894.

QQQZi MM.

Mah6m ling the downward movement of such end I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

This necessitates the use of an end gate of NITED STATES CHRISTOPH HOTZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

END-GATE FOR WAGONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,076, dated February 6, 1894.

Application filed October 1 7, 1 892.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPH HOTZ, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in End-Gates for Wagons; and

clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of end gates or tail-boards for wagons which have hinged or pivotal connection at their lower edges with the wagon body, and more particularly to means for controlgates to prevent the same from striking forcibly against any object with which they may come in contact when released and allowed to fall by gravity.

Hinged end gates as ordinarily constructed are movable freely about their hinged or pivotal connection with the bottom of the wagon box'or bed so that when unfastened or entirely released they are free to drop or fall into a vertical position. In the release of the end gate for the discharge of a load or loose articles, such as coal, which rest against the end gate, and often underothercircumstances, the end gate when released will fall with great force and is liable to come forcibly into contact with the curbstone, pavement or other obstruction, or against the wheels of the wag-- on when the end board is so made as to strike the same. The striking of the end gate against other objects in this manner is highly objectionable because it soon leads to the destruction of the end gate, which commonly, in the case of wagons subjected to hard service, such for instance as coal wagons, lasts only a short time before requiring renewal or repairs. In the case of such heavy vehicles as are used in transporting coal, grain and similar bulky and heavy loads the wagon maker usually endeavors to keep the load or the center of gravity thereof as near the ground as possible, and for this reason he constructs the box or bed of the greatest possible width in View of the distance between the wheels, and also usually adds Wingboards projecting outward over the wheels.

Serial No. 449,136. (No model.)

such length that it will strike at its ends against the Wheels when dropped in case no other unyielding object is present to prevent the end gate from so striking the wheels. In wagons of this kind, therefore, the end gate is liable to strike the wheels with injurious force when no intervening object is present to interrupt its movement, and the gate is liable to be broken or shattered in a short time by repeatedly striking the wheels or other objects, it being of course understood that in the case of wagons loaded with coal and the like it is impracticable for the person handling the wagon to lower the end gate by hand inasmuch as the weight of that part of the load resting against it throwsit outwardly with great force as soon as its fastenings are released.

In carrying out my invention I apply to the end gate a retarding device so arranged as to gradually arrest its movement as it approaches a vertical or depending position and which either entirely arrests it before it has swung far enough to strike any object below the wagon body, or so retards its movement that in case any obstruction is present it will strike the samewith so little force as to avoid injury to the end gate.

A retarding device adapted for carrying out the main feature of myinvention as above described may be constructed and applied between the wagon body or end gate in a number of different ways, that herein shown being deemed a desirable one and containing certain features of construction which are in themselves novel and constitute part of the present invention.

My invention Will be readily understood from the following description of a construction embodying the same taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrative thereof in which Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a wagon bed provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification of the construction illustrated in the other figures.

In the construction thus illustrated A designates the Wagon box or bed proper and B the end gate, they being in this instance of the type usually adopted for wagons used in transporting coal, grain and similar heavy or bulky articles. The end gate B is hinged at its lower edge to the rear edge of the bottom A of the box or bed Ain any preferred manner, in the form shown by means of perforated lugs B suitably secured to the end gate, as by being affixed to the ends of metallic straps b bolted to said end gate in the usual manner, which engage the pivot rod or pintle of the hinge. The latter is, in this instance, provided with. a pivot rod passing through the perforated lugs B and through other perforated lugs A projecting from the rear edge of the bottom A and serving to support said rod, the latter being retained in position by any suitable means, as by a head 0 and nut c at either end, as shown.

Any suitable fastening for locking the end gate in its closed position may be provided, that shown in this instance being the one ordinarily used in wagons of this type consisting of lugs A projecting from the rear ends of the sides of the bed A and engaging convenient apertures in the end gate, said lugs being provided at their extremities with slots through which binding keys B are passed to secure the end gate in position.

'With the foregoing construction it is obvious that the end gate will be free to drop whenever the fastenings holding it in its closed position are released, and in order to prevent this movement from taking place with such velocity as to result in a damaging concussion if any unyielding object lies in its path, I provide means whereby the fall is so retarded as to render harmless the resulting blow.

Such retarding device may be in the nature of a brake or buffer or it may be in the nature of a counterbalance, and in the latter case may be either a weight or spring mechanism. In the form herein illustrated I have shown a construction of the last mentioned type in which, as above stated, the retarding action is secured by means of a counterbalancing spring. Said spring counterbalance may be applied in various ways, and, in the present instanceIhave shown a torsion spring applied to the hinge joint in such manner as to exert a constant pressure tending to lift the end gate or resist its downward movement when dropped.

Referring again to the drawings, D designates a spring of the above character which is fulcrumed on the pivot rod of the hinge joint (being in this instance coiled about the pivot rod 0 forming the same) and is provided with arms or extensions engaging the end gate and the box or bed. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 said spring is formed with a double coil from a single piece of metal, its ends D being extended radially to engage the end gate, in this instance by entering apertures in bearing plates or lugs d bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the end gate, and its center portion D separating the two coils being likewise extended radially to engage the end of the bottom of the wagon box or bed. A hearing plate or bar a is, in this instance, interposed between the center portion D and the wood of the bed bottom while bent straps a bolted to said bottom and turned up at their outer ends over the portion D further secure the bottom against displacement.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 the construction is substantially the same as that above set forth except that here the radially extended center portion D of the spring engages the end gate by entering the perforations in a lug d while its end portions engage the bearing plate a on the end of the bed bottom.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the single spring is constructed of such length as to occupy substantially the full length of the pivot rod 0, but in Fig. 3 the spring is made sufficiently short to enable two or more springs to be applied to the rod if desired, as indicated in said figure by dotted lines.

The operation of the device is obvious. The spring being placed in position under more or less tension will exert a constant pressure on the end gate tending to lift or throw it upwardly. When being opened for any purpose the end gate instead of dropping freely will be obliged to overcome the force of the spring and the velocity of its movement will thereby be so retarded that any collision between the end gate and the wheels or other unyielding object will not be forcible enough to result in any serious damage.

Commonly the spring will be made of such strength or stiffness as to counter-balance the weight of the tail-board when the latter is inclined downwardly and outwardly from the wagon bed, so that when the tail-board is thus supported by the spring, it will not be in a position to interfere with the unloading of the wagon, but, on the contrary, in the case of coal-wagons and the like, will aid the unloading of the same by constituting an inclined guide-surface or chute over which the material forming the load, may be allowed to slide from the body to the place or receptacle, at or in which it is to be deposited.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a hinged end gate, of retarding devices acting on said gate to retard the outward and downward movement thereof.

2. The combination with a hinged end gate, of a counterbalancing device applied to said end gate to retard the outward and downward movement thereof.

3. The combination with a hinged end gate, of a spring or elastic body applied to retard the downward movement thereof.

4. The combination with a Wagon box or bed and a hinged end gate, of a spring or elastic body applied between the bed and the end gate and tending to resist the downward movement of the same when released.

5. The combination with a wagon box or bed,

of a hinged end gate and a spring applied to the hinge connecting said parts and tending 'to resist the downward movement of the end gate when released.

6. The combination with a wagon box or bed and a hinged end gate, of a spring attached to one of said parts and provided with an arm engaging the other of said parts.

7. The combination with a wagon box or bed, of a hinged end gate, a pivot rod connecting the bed and the end gate, and a coiled spring surrounding said pin and provided with arms engaging the end gate and the bed.

8. The combination with a wagon box or bed,

of a hinged end gate, a pivot rod connecting [5 the bed and end gate, a coiled spring surrounding the rod and provided with arms engaging the bed and end gate, and bearing plates on the bed and end gate engaging said arms.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

OHRISTOPH HOTZ.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. GRAVES, MARTIN CONRAD. 

